ERPA European Rigid PVC-Film Association informs:
MAP packaging (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) present a rapidly growing application as packaging for sophisticated foods such as meat, sausage, cheese, fish and other applications in the field of delicatessen. In MAP packages, which are manufactured from PVC/PE or PET/PE composites with a strong barrier against oxygen, the oxygen portion is withdrawn from the internal air. This assures good durability of the food.
A hightech application of recyclates from PVC/PE composites was found for stormwater attenuation systems. At the French film manufacturer Cifra, recyclates from used PVC/PE packaging are calandered to produce thick films. HAMON, a French manufacturer for water treatment systems produces profile sheets from the films recycled by Cifra. These are then glued to form water cisterns. The cisterns are composed as elements for a large-scale water attenuation system known under the brand name GEOLIGHT®. This system forms controllable water reservoirs. The GEOLIGHT® system can be adapted to suit the characteristics and limitations of the site. The profile cisterns show high compression force which makes them very well suited for water reservoirs underneath roads, car parks and amenity areas.
Advantages of the GEOLIGHT® system include reduced excavation costs, rapid speed of installation, low resistance to water, reduced risk of flooding, and reduced environmental pollution.
That way, recycled PVC/PE composite films are used to produce durable water attenuation and water management membranes. The project, for which further projects are already in the planning stage in Germany and the Netherlands, is called ‘pack-upgrade’ by the manufacturers of PVC package films.
About ERPA, the European umbrella organisation of rigid PVC films
ERPA (European Rigid PVC-Film Association) is the European umbrella organisation of manufacturers of rigid PVC films for packaging of pharmaceutical and medical products, foods, and electronic components as well as thermoforming, pressure and specialised applications. The head office of ERPA is at Frankfurt/Germany. ERPA is part of the European umbrella organization for plastic converting companies EuPC (European Plastics Converters) at Brussels/Belgium.
ERPA’s members include ten traditional film manufacturers with production sites in 12 countries. For further information please visit www.pvc-films.org.
